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Barbacoa Beef - Instant Pot
4.9 from 123 votes

Barbacoa Beef - Instant Pot

This Instant Pot Barbacoa Beef uses chuck roast chunks braised under high pressure with spices, chipotle chiles in adobo, lime juice, and apple cider vinegar. The result is tender beef that can be shredded and mixed with its flavorful cooking liquid. The recipe yields moist, richly spiced meat suitable for tacos or other Mexican-style dishes.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 45 mins
Total Time
2 hrs
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 280 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

  • 2 pound chuck roast
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 yellow onion diced (about 1 cup)
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon cumin ground
  • 1 tablespoon oregano dried
  • 1/2 cup beef broth
  • 2-4 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce minced (remove seeds for less heat)
  • 1/4 cup lime juice fresh
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cloves ground
  • 3 bay leaf

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Cut the roast into 4-6 large chunks, removing any large pieces of fat.
  2. Press saute on the Instant Pot and add the vegetable oil. Once it is hot, add half of the roast chunks.  Brown completely on each side. Remove to a plate and brown the second half of the meat. Remove from the Instant Pot.
  3. With the Instant Pot still on saute, add the onion and cook until it starts to become translucent, about 3 minutes.  Add the garlic, cumin and oregano and cook an additional minute.  Pour in the broth, chipotle chiles, lime juice, cider vinegar, salt, pepper, cloves and bay leaves. Stir to combine, then add the roast back into the Instant Pot.
  4. Place the lid on the Instant Pot and lock. Select high pressure and 60 minutes.
  5. When the pot beeps, allow the pressure to manually release.  Once the pin has dropped, remove the lid and, using a set of tongs, remove the meat from the instant pot to a cutting board. Use 2 forks to shred the beef.  Once shredded, return to the Instant Pot and stir to coat the meat in the leftover juices.
  6. Serve in tacos, burritos, bowls, or whatever your heart desires!

Notes

  • Choosing a chuck roast or beef short ribs ensures enough fat for tender, flavorful barbacoa.
  • Remove seeds from chipotle chiles to reduce spiciness as preferred.
  • After shredding, stirring meat back into the cooking liquid adds moisture and intensified flavor; omit if drier meat is desired.
  • Cool completely and freeze leftovers flat in freezer bags for easy storage and thawing.
  • Store refrigerated leftovers up to 5 days.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1/8 of recipe Calories 280kcal (14%) Carbohydrates 3g (1%) Protein 31g (62%) Fat 15g (23%) Saturated Fat 0g (0%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g (6%) Trans Fat 0g (0%) Cholesterol 0mg (0%) Sodium 907mg (38%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 1g (2%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8 servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 280

% Daily Value*

Serving 1/8 of recipe
Calories 280kcal 14%
Carbohydrates 3g 1%
Protein 31g 62%
Fat 15g 23%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Trans Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 907mg 38%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 1g 2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.